Torpedo control switch



May 25, 1948. c. c. WHITTAKER ETAL. 2,442,030

TORPEDO CONTROL SWITCH Filed Nov; 24, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

INVENTORS C/mr/es CI l l fi/kfaker 00a WITNESSES:

309/ 6. Jones.

ATTORNEY May 25, 3948.

C. C. WHITTAKER AL TORPEDO CONTROL SWITCH Filed Nov. 24, 1943 2Sheets-Sheet 2 d m Y E N I 8 W E n 0 M 0 T a m MC cmma KM f. m 0 C.

Patented May 25, 1948 TORPEDO CONTROL SWITCH Charles C. Whittaker andRuel C. J ones,Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse ElectricCorporation, of Pennsylvania East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporationApplication November 24, 1943, Serial No. 511,581

7 Claims.

Our invention relates to a system of control, and more particularly tocertain elements utilized in a system of control for a, torpedo.

The present war has brought into use the electrically driven torpedo butin such torpedoes for certain operations gas. flasks are still necessaryfor the operation of certain devices. While it is ordinarily notimportant to provide for certain specific operations, as thedisconnection of an electric motor from the propulsion means, on thefinal run, it does become rather important how the system of control is.utilized for a torpedo during exercise Further, since space is at apremium. in a torpedoi so that a maximum explosive charge may becarried, allof the devices must be relatively small compactv and yet.suificiently inexpensive not to raise the cost of a torpedo toexcessive figures.

One object of our invention is the provision ofza system of control foran electrically driven torpedo. wherein the source of energy to thepropulsion motor is disconnecteda substantially definite time intervalafter a predetermined run of the torpedo has been completed.

A, broad object of our invention is the provision of means forfacilitatingthe recovery of a to pedo at the end of an exercise run.

A more specific object or our invention is the provision oi pneumatictime limit means for rapidly effecting the opening of a pneumaticallyoperated electric switch when the pressure for actuating the switchdecreases to a given value.

It is an object of our invention to provide a pneumatically operableswitch which, is compact, rugged and inexpensive.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a low pressurerelief valve in a pneumatic system which causes a rapid decrease of thepressure in the pneumatic system when the pressure in such systemdecreases below a given value.

The objects hereinbefore recited are merely illustrative, because manyother objects and advantages will become apparent from a study of thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawings,- in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic showing of our system of control forfacilitatingthe'propulsion of a torpedo fora given length of time andthe recovery of the-torpedo at the end of a run;

Figs. 2 and 3 are showings even more schematic than those in Fig. 1,illustrating modifications of our system of control;

Fig. 4 is a side view of a four-way valve utilized in our system ofcontrol;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the subject matter shown in Fig. 4; i

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a pneumatically operableswitch; and

Fig. '7 is a longitudinalsectional view of a low pressure relief valve.

Referring to Fig. 1, l designates the torpedo having the exercise head 2attached thereto, 3 de ignates the after-body of the torpedo in theregion of the starting valve 4. This starting valve t is. provided witha trigger arm 5 coacting with the dog 6 on the torpedo. tube andthisvalve is designed to be opened at, the operation of arm 5 when thetorpedo is fired. Forthe operation of the pneumatic devices a gas flask1, which may contain air under high pressure as 3000 to 4000 pounds persquare inch, is, utilized. This flask is connected to the valve 4actuated by the starting trigger 5 and, when opened, supplies air underpressure to the four-way valve 9 and thence to the pneumatic switch ill,during one stage of operation and for another stage of operation to thefour-way valve 9, and thence through the tube 1 Iv to the interior ofthe exercise head 2.

A battery I2 is utilized for supplying the energy to the ropulsion motorl3. This propulsion motor i3 is of the series type having no commutatingpoles but is controlled for operation at constant speed by the governormechanism M'for shifting the brush ring 15 so that constant motor speedis maintained.

The four-way valve is also designed to be operated by the governormechanism to shift the four-way valve from the connection shown to sucha connection that the flash I is connected to the chamber of theexercise head and the conduit NS, for supplying the pneumatic switchwith gas pressure, is connected to the pressure relief valve ll.

A better understanding of some of the details of our invention canprobably be had from a study of a typical sequence of operation duringan exercise run. This operation is as follows: The instant the torpedois fired, the lever arm 5 is actuated by the dog -6 and the valve 4 isopened whereupon gas from the flask l under-high pressure is admitted tothe conduits 8 and 8'. The conduit 8' leads to various devices on thetorpedo having no connection with the invention herein described. Theconduit 8 leads to the four-way valve 9 and, as shown by the brokenlines, provides gas pressure to the pneumatically operated switch IDwhich is thereupon operated with a short time delay to close thecontactsl8 to-thus '55 establish a circuit from the battery l2 throughcompleted, the dog 22 on stem 2| 'actuates the a latch lever 63 torelease the lever arm 61 coupled to the relatively strong spring 25which is under considerable stress. This spring causes the fourway valveto rapidly rotate in a clockwise directhe pneumatically operable switchHi. It is thus apparent that although the pressure in conduit Is at theinstant the four-way valve 9 is operated may be 3000 pounds per squareinch, it will slowly be dissipated by the pressure relief valve l1 andonce the pressure has dropped to a given low value which may be 350 to400 pounds per square inch, the pressure for maintaining thepneumatically operable switch closed is suddenly removed and the switchcontacts |8 are rapidly opened.

With the high pressures encountered, the pressure relief valve canusually be depended upon tion connecting the conduit 8 to the conduitll;

thus driving the ballast water from the exercise head and making thetorpedo buoyant so that recovery may be facilitated.

It is important that the switch contacts l8 and other devices may not beinjured by a slow operation of the pneumatic switchlll. The conduit I 6therefore by the operation of the four-way valve 9 is connected to thelow pressure relief valve IT. This low pressure relief valve IT after asubstantially predetermined interval of time, namely, at a predeterminedpressure in conduit l6 suddenly dumps the pressure in this conduit It,thus permitting a rapid opening of the contact members N3 of thepneumatic switch ill.

The low pressure relief valve (referring to Fig. 7) is provided with abase for connection to the pneumatic system and for connection to thecylindrical portion 3| of the Valve. This cylindrical portion is dividedin two chambers by a partition 32'provided with the valve seat 33 forreceiving a ball valve 34. This ball is held within a cup-shaped piston35 disposed in the lower chamber of the cylindrical valve construction.The upper chamber is provided with discharge openings 36 and hasinternal threads 31 for receiving the valve adjusting nut 38. This nutonce adjusted may be held in adjusted position by the lock nut 39. Thisnut further has an axial opening for receiving the stem 40 provided withthe rim 4| at the base and the projection 42 therebelow, contacting withthe upper surface of the ball valve 3 A spring supporting collar 43rests on the rim 4| and against the lower or downwardly facing region ofthe adjusting nut 38. The downwardly facing region is provided with anannular chamber so that a spring 44 may be supported between the collarand the base of the chamber in nut 38. This spring-is selected to have apredetermined strength and by means of suitable adjustment of the nut 33may be caused to press downwardly on the ball valve 38 with apredetermined force.

This low pressure relief valve is designed to have a relatively slowleak past the ball valve 34, so that the pressure in the lower chamberonce the pressure of the flask is removed is caused to disappear slowly,but when this pressure in the lower chamber has decreased to asufficiently low value the pressure on the lower portion of the ballvalve becomes less than the pressure of the projection 42 acted upon bythe spring 64. Then the ball valve 34 is moved downwardly and the lowerchamber of the relief valve is open directly to the discharge openings36, thus dumping the pressure in the lower chamber.

This lower chamber, as shown in Fig. 1, is'connected to the conduit I6supplying pressure to without special design to effect the operation ofthe switch '|0 within a relatively short time, as 15 to 20 seconds. If,however, it is feared that this valve mayactually be perfectly gas tightand that the pneumatically operable switch be also perfectly gas tight,then a restricted exhaust port may be provided in the system supplyingpressure to the switch. In Fig. 2, we have shown this restricted'openingIT at the four-way valve so that when the four-way valve is operated tothe position to supply the gas to the exercise head, conduitlfi isconnected to the port l1. At such time the conduit supplying pressure tothe switch is connected to the restricted exhaust port in the four-wayvalve, and since, as shown, the low pressure relief valve isinterconnected with this conduit, it will also function to cause rapidoperation of this switch.

In Fig. 3, we have shown a scheme of control not requiring a four-wayvalve. In this case, the valve 16 is a simple valve for merely openingthe connection of the flask to the exercise head. It will be noted thatin this case the switch remains connected to the flask, but sincesubstantially all of the gas under pressure from the flask is utilizedto expel the ballast water from the exercise head, the pressure willnaturally drop in the pneumatic system and after a given time the lowpressure relief valve will function to rapidly effect the operation ofthe pneumatically operable switch.

The pneumatically operable switch comprises a connection 41 to beconnected to the conduit IS, a cylinder 48 for housing the piston 49.This piston is designed as a valve at the region 50 and coacts with thevalve seat 5| in the region of the mid portion of the cylinder 48. Thereduced upper end of the piston is rigidly connected to the invertedcup-shaped member 52 having the reentrant shoulder connection 53. Theupper outer portion of the cylinder isprovided with a collar 54 and aspring 55 under compression is disposed between the collar 54 and thereentrant shoulder connection to thus normally vhold the piston in theposition shown..

The piston is provided with. a rod having the stop nut .56. member 51suitably insulated from the rod by the insulating. sleeve .58.Thecontact member 5! slides freely on the piston rod and is designed toresiliently engage the contact member's I8.

To effect this resilient engagement of the contacts, a spring 59 undercompression is disposed between the lower face of the contact membersand a suitable circumferential outer ledge on the outer portion of thecup-shaped member 52.

The piston is designed to fit somewhat loosely in the cylinder so thatwhen pressure is admitted to the conduit l6, there is some leakage ofthe gas past the piston and the switch is thus not operated with toomuch impact so as to injure any portion of the switch.- However, oncethe 1 piston is forced upwardly, the conical portion 50 On-this rod isdisposed a contact engages the valve seat 5|, thus providing a sub-vstantially. perfect seal against any leakage oi" the gas. from theswitch.

sarytour connections to the flask, pneumatic switch, exercise head, andrelief valve, .respectively. This valvehas its lever 60 connected to alink 6| which, in turn, is connected to another lever 62 which may beextended so as to form a handle for resetting this valve manually. Thefour-way valve is provided with a tripping latch 53 biased in aclockwise direction about the pivot pin 64- by the spring 65 disposedbetween the ledge 66 and the right-hand end of the latch member 63. Thedog 22 on the governor mechanism at the end of the run is designed tomove the-latch member 63' counterclockwise whereupon the dog 61 on thehub of the lever 82 is released. The spring 2-5 thus causes the levers{iii and 62 to rapidly move in a counterclockwise directionthrough anangle of substantially 90 to thus change the connection from that shownin Fig. l to such a connection that conduits 3 and Il areinterconnected, and conduit is and the relief valve are interconnected.

While we have shown but few systems of co11- trol and but singleembodiments of the details, we do not wish to be limited to theparticulars shown or described but wish to be limited only by the scopeof the claims hereinafter recited.

We claim as our invention:

1-. A pneumatically operable switch for use in a system of control for adevice, as a torpedo, said system including a source of, gas pressureand valve means, in combination, a cylinder adapted to be connected atone end thereof through said valve means to the source of gas pressure,piston disposed in said cylinder forming a compression chamber, saidpiston having a loose fit in the chamber to rovide some lag in themovement of the piston when gas is admitted into the compression chamberby the operation ofsaid valve means, saidcylinder and piston on the sideopposite the compression chamber forming a gas-tight valve so that nogas leaks out of the compression chamber once the piston has beenoperated, a piston rod projecting from the other'end of the cylinder, aninverted cup-shaped member secured to the piston over the cylinder,spring means, normally under compression, engaging the outer portion ofthe other end of the cylinder and the inner edge of the cup-shapedmember to thus bias the piston toward the said one end of the cylinder,a switch element slidably mounted on the piston rod, an abutment at theend of the piston rod to limit the slidable movement of the switchelement in the direction to the outer end of the piston rod, springmeans normally under compression engaging the outside of the cup-shapedmember and the switch element to thus resiliently support the switchelement.

2. A pneumatically operable switch for use in a system of control for adevice, as a torpedo, said system including a source of gas pressure andvalve means, in combination, a cylinder adapted to be connected at oneend thereof through said valve means to the source of gas pressure, apiston disposed in said cylinder forming a compression chamber, saidpiston having a loose fit in the chamber to provide some lag in themovement of the piston when gas is admitted into the compression chamberby the operation of said valve means, said cylinder and piston on theside opposite the compression chamber rod and disposedforminga gas-tightvalve so that no gasleaks outofthe compression chamber once the pistonhas been operated, apiston rod projecting from the other end of thecylinder, an inverted cupshapedmember secured to the piston rod anddisposed over the cylinder, saidcup-shaped'mem-i her having areentrantledge at the edge and said cylinder having a peripheral ledgefacing the reentrant ledge, a spring under compression dis. posedbetween the said reentrant ledge peripheral ledge, and a, resilientlymounted switchelement on theouter end of the piston rod.

3. A pneumatically operable switch for usev in a system ofcontrol for adevice, as a torpedo, said :system including a sourceof gas pressureandvalve means, in combination, a cylinder adapted to be connected atone end thereof through said valve-means to the source'of' gas pressure;a piston disposed in said cylinder forminga compressionchamber, saidpiston having aloose fit in the chamber to provide some lag in themovement of the-piston when gas is admitted into the compression chamberby the operation ofsaidvalve means, said cylinder and piston on theside-opposite the compression chamber forming a gastight valve so thatno-ga-s leaks out of the compression chamber once the piston hasbeenoperated, a piston rod projecting from the other end of thecylinder, an inverted cup-shaped member securedto the piston rod anddisposed over the cylinder, said cup-shaped member having a reentrantledge at the edgeand said cylinder having a peripheral ledge facing thereentrant ledge, a spring under compression disposed about said cylinderand completely housed within said cupshaped member between: the said:reentrant ledge and peripheral ledge, and a resiliently mounted switch.element onthe'outer end of the pistonred.

4. A pneumatically operable switchfor use in a system of con-trol for adevice, as a torpedo; said system including a source of gas pressure andvalve means, in combination, a cylinder adaptedto be connected at oneend thereof through-said valve means to the source of gas-pressure, apiston disposed in said cylinder forming a compression chamber, saidpiston having a loose fit in the chamber to provide some lag in themovement of the piston when gasis admitted into the-compression chamberby the operation ofsaidvalvemeans, said cylinder and piston on the sideopposite the compression chamber forming a gas-tight valve so that nogas leaks out of the compression chamber once the piston has beenoperated, a piston rod projecting from the other end of the cylinder, aninverted cup-shaped member secured to the piston rod and disposed overthe cylinder, said cup-shaped member having a reentrant ledge at theedge and said cylinder having a peripheral ledge facing the reentrantledge, a spring under compression disposed between the said reentrantledge and peripheral ledge, a switch contact disc slidably mounted onthe piston rod, an abutment at the end of the rod to limit the movementof said disc toward the outer end of the rod, and spring means undercompression engaging the cup-shaped member and the disc to bias the discagainst said abutment.

5. A pneumatically operable switch for use in a system of control for adevice, as a torpedo, said system including a source of gas pressure andvalve means, in combination, a cylinder adapted to be connected at oneend thereof through said valve means to the source of gas pressure, apiston disposed in said cylinder forming a compression chamber, saidpiston having a loose fit in the n i v 7 chamber to provide some lag inthe movement of the piston when gas is admitted into the compressionchamber by the operationof said valve means, said cylinder and piston onthe side opposite the compression chamber forming a gas-tight valve sothat no gas leaks out of the compression chamber once the piston hasbeen operated, a piston rod projecting from the other end of. thecylinder, an inverted cup-shaped member secured to the piston rod anddisposed over the cylinder,

said cup-shaped member having a reentrantledge at the edge and saidcylinder having a peripheral ledge facing the reentrant ledge, a springunder compression disposed between the said reentrant ledge andperipheral ledge, a switch contact disc slidably mounted on the pistonrod, an abutment at the end of the rod to limit the movement of saiddisc toward the outer end of the rod, peripherally projecting means onthe outer cylindrical surface of the cup-shaped member, and spring meansunder compression disposed between said disc and peripherally projectingmeans adapted to bias said disc against the abutment on the piston rod.

6. A pneumatically operable switch for use in a system of control for adevice, as a torpedo, said system including a source of gas pressure andvalve means, in combination, a cylinder adapted to be connected at oneend thereof through said valve means to the source of gas pressure, a.piston disposed in said cylinder forming a compression chamber, saidpiston having a loose fit in the chamber to provide some lag in themovement of the piston when gas is admitted into the compression chamberby the operation of said valve means, said cylinder and piston on theside opposite the compression chamber forming a gas-tight valve so thatno gas leaks out of the compression chamber once the piston has beenoperated, a piston rod projecting from the other end of the cylinder, aninverted cup-shaped member secured to the piston rod and disposed overthe cylinder, said cup-shaped member having a reentrant ledge at theedge and said cylinder havin a peripheral ledge facing the reentrantledge, a spring under compression disposed between the'said reentrantledge and peripheral ledge, a switch contact disc slidably mounted onthe piston rod, an abutment at the end of the rod 8 v to limit themovement of said disc toward the outer end of the rod, a peripheralledge on the cylindrical surface of thecup-shaped member, and a helicalspring disposed about the piston rod and under compression engaging theperipheral ledge and the disc to bias the disc against the abutment onthe piston rod.

7. A pneumatically operable switch for use in a system of controlincluding a source of gas pressure, in combination, a, cylinder adaptedto be connected at one end thereof to the source of gas pressure, apiston disposed in said cylinder forming a compression chamber, saidpiston having a loose m in the chamber to provide some lag in themovement of the piston when gas is admitted; into the compressionchamber, said cylinder and piston on the side opposite the compressionchamber forming a gas-tight valve so that no gas leaks out of thecompression chamber once the piston has been operated, a piston rodprojecting from the other end of the cylinder, a mem-' her having adiameter somewhat greater than the cylinder secured to the piston rodand disposed above the cylinder, spring means secured to the member andthe cylinder for biasing the piston toward the said one end of thecylinder, a switch element slidably mounted on the piston rod, an upperabutment on the piston rod for limiting the upward movement of theswitch element, and spring means disposed between the said member andthe switching element for biasing the switching element against theabutment at the upper end of the piston rod.

CHARLES C. WHIT'IAKER.

RUEL C. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

